Advertising device and the like



'Feb. 8, 1927. 1,617,126

P. J. KURTEN ADVERTISING DEVICE AND THE LIKE Filed Aprii 23, 1925 rerun.J. KURTEN, or ALHAMBRA, cALIronNIa, ASSIG-NOR. BY DIRECT AND MESNEPatented Feb. 8, 1927.

T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1

I ASSIGNMENTS,OZE NE-I IALF TO BALI II L. roan, or PASADENA, CALIFORNIA,

HAND ONE-HALFTO GEORGE E. LEE, O F PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

') ADVERTISING DEVICE AND THE LIKE.

I Application filed Apri1,23, 1925. .Se ria1 No. 25,308.

'This invention relates to improvements in advertising. devices. i

Anfobject. of this invention is to provide I adevice which is of simpleconstruction and whichcan be cheaply operated.

- It is a we'll known feature in advertising that order: toobtaingoodresults, it is necessary tofirst attract the attention, of .thep assingpublic. One of the most satisfactory methods for attracting attention isto stimulate curiosity.

. It is thereforeanother object of this invention" toupro videi a devicewhich is so Y constructed ,as'to have some moving parts which are soarranged that-it is not apparent what causes these parts to move. thusis operated.

stimulating curiosity as to'how the device [With the foregoing and otherobjects in view which will be made manifest in the following detaileddescriptionand specifically f pointed out in the appended claims,reterence is' had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrativeembodiment of the inventionwherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved advertising. device, I

N Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken upon the line2 2 of Fig. 1, andFig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line of Fig. 1. v

- Referring to the. accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the device consists of acontainer 10 having a cover 11 in which there is an aperture 12. Withinthe container 10 there is disposed a solenoid 1 3 whichinay be of anyconventional construction and which is connected by-wires to suitablebinding posts 14:. A U-shaiped yoke 15 has one end secured upon thebottom of the container 1.0 as by bolts 16. The opposite end is'disposedin approximately horizontal porod-like support 18 there are one or moreclamps or hooks 19,'upon which indicia hearing elements 20 are mounted.These indicia bearing elements may be of any size or configuration andmay bear any type of indicia desired. Theyare shown as provided withrubber. bushings 21 whichengage the hooks 19. Upon the under side of thecover 11 there is a spring 22 secured as by screws 23 and the spring hasa pointed end 24 adapted to engage the upper end of the U-shaped yoke15. A nut 25 is mounted in the cover 11 and a threaded bolt or stud 26is threaded into the nut and is adapted to engage the top have thereon adial 28.

The operation of the device is as follows: In the preferred form ofconstruction an alternating electric current supply is connected to thebinding posts 14, so that the solenoid 13 will be energized by analternating current. The solenoid being so energized causes the upperend of the U-shaped yoke 15 which acts as a spring to be attracted and'repelled quickly, thus vibrating the spring provided by the yoke 15 andalso the rodlike support 18. These vibrations imparted to the support 18cause the elements 20 mounted thereon to rotate. It will be appreciatedthat the vibrations of the end of the yoke 15 depend upon the frequencyof the current supplied to the solenoid 13. Usually the vibrations areof such a frequency that to the ordinary eye, the rod-like support 18does not appear to vibrate in any manner. but appears to be perfectlystationary. The vibrations imparted to it, however, cause the discs orelements 20 to rotate.

A-peculiar feature oil the construction resides in the fact that certainof the discs 20 will rotate in one direction, whereas other discs willrotate in the opposite direction The direction in which the discs orelements 20 rotate depends upon their location along the rod-likesupport 18. In this manner the lowermost disc 20 can be caused to rotatein one direction, and the uppermost disc 20 can be caused to rotate inthe opposite direction.

If more than two discs or elements 20 are placed upon the rod-likesupport 18, which may be made considerably longer, a third rise, whichis disposed above the uppermost disc shown, can be caused to rotate inthe same direction as the lowermost disc. In this manner by placing alarge number of elements upon the support, some of the elements will becaused to rotate in one direction and others will be caused to rotate inthe opposite direction by the vibrations imparted to the support 18. Thesupport 18 can be made of practically any material, but'is preferablyformed of glass, being'in the form of a hollow glass tube. In obtainingthe best results, a vacuum is formed within the tube, enabling thesupport 18 to be freely influenced by the vibrations imparted to it Whenthe device is in operation, the upper horizontal portion of the springtends to vibrate about the point where the upper horizontal portionjoins the vertical portion of the U-shaped spring. Also the verticalportion tends to vibrate and swing about the point where the verticalportion joins the lower horizontal portion of the U-shaped spring.Consequently, the end of the spring which is above the solenoid isinfluenced by two vibrations at right angles to each other, so that itvibrates on an arcuate path. This tends to set up a whip in the rod 18so that this rod tends to bend at several point-s. It the clips 19 arepositioned on the rod intermediate these points of bend, they will causethe discs to rotate. On the other hand, it the clips 19 are positionedat the points of bend, the discs 20 will not rotate. By having a longrod and properly positioning the clips, the discs can be caused torotate in opposite directions. The spring 22, when pressed against thespring 15, serves to deepen the vibrations of this spring, de creasingtheir magnitude and accordingly causing a variation of speed of thediscs.

Making the tube of glass has another ad vantage in that it further tendsto mystify the manner-in which the elements 20 are caused to rotate. Aperson seeing the device in a show window, without knowing theconstruction of it, will usually attempt to lind wires or the likeinfthe support; A glass support clearly discloses that there are nowires or magnets which cause the discs or elements 20 to rotate.

If the discs 20 are made of various sizes, the larger sized discs mayhave their speed of rotation decreased slightly because of the slightincrease of air resistance. This variation of speed, however, is usuallyvery small. The speed of the discs, however, can be varied considerablyby varying the sizes of the apertures through them or varying the sizeof the aperture through the rubber bushing 21. Discs having a smallaperture through them rotate much faster than the discs having thelarger apertures or rubber bushings. Preferably in using the device asan advertising device a large disc is used which has a larger aperturethrough it, and this disc carries indicia advertising various articlesof merchandise or other information, it being understood that itsrotation is slow enough so that the indicia can be read upon it. Theother discs which may be smaller or have smaller apertures, causinghigher speeds, may have suitable designs upon them which will serve toattract attention during their higher speeds of retation. The handle 27can be employed for increasing and decreasing the speeds of the discs onthe support 18. By screwing down the stud 26, causing the spring 22 tohave its point 24 engage or bear upon the upper end ot' the spring 17,the amplitude of the vibrations imparted to the support 18 can bevaried. Such a variation in the amplitude in the vibrations imparted tothe support 18 varies with the speed of rotation of the discs 20thereon.

It will be understood that the specific manner of imparting vibrationsto the support 18 is immaterial. AlthoughI preferably employ theconstruction as shown which enables the use of alternating current,permitting the device to be used a considerable length of time for asmall amount of cost, this means for vibrating the support 18 is notessential. If desired, the spring 22 and the spring 15 may be used ascontacts forming a make and break contact for the solenoid 13, enablingdirect current to be used. Other means for vibrating the support 18 canalso be employed.

The advantage of this device in advertising resides in the fact that allparts with the exception of the discs 20, the hooks 19 and the support18, are disposed within the container 10; and, as there is no apparentmeans for causing the elements 20 to rotate, the construction stimulatescuriosity.

It will be understood that the device as disclosed is not limited to beused for advertising purposes, but may also be used as a toy 01' asagame and is adapted for other uses as well.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of constructionmay be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An advertising device cinn n'ising a support, an element mounted uponsaid support so as to be rotatable thereon, a s 'iring upon which saidsupport is inoui'ited, and means for vibrating said sln'ing-so as toviirate said support and cause said element to move relatively to saidsupport.

2. An advertising device comprising a support, an indicia bearingelement mounted lupoii said-support so as to be rotatable :thereon, a=ndelect-ro-magnetic means for vibrat ng said support so as to CELHSGSZLldin dicial zbearing' feleinent to i rotate thereon.

' a-An advertising I'dEViCB comprising a support, an indicia bearingelement mounted upon; said support so as to be rotatable thereon, aspring upon which said support is mounted, and electro-inagnetic meansfor vibrating said spring so as to vibrate. said support and cause saidelement to rotate thereon;

' 4. An advertising support, an'indicia bearing element mounted uponsaid support so as to be rotatable therea on, ,a spring upon which saidsupport is mounted, electro-magnetic means for V1- ."brating said springso as to vibrate said support and cause said element to rotate thereon,and means for varying the amplietude of the vibrations so as to vary thespeed of rotation of said element.

'5. 'An advertising device comprising a support, an indiciabearing-element mounted upon said support so as to be rotatable thereon,and. electric means for vibrating said support so as to cause saidindicia hearing element to rotatethereon.

' .An, advertising device comprising a support, an indicla bearingelement mounted upon said support so as to be rotatable thereon,electric means for vibrating said support so as to cause said indiciabearing element to rotate thereon, and means for varying the amplitudeof the vibrations so as to vary the speed of rotation of said element.

,7. An advertising device comprising a rod-likesupport, a spring uponwhich said sprin means support is mounted, a solenoid adjacent said 'forsupplying an alternating ciii"i'ent to said solenoid, and an indiciabearing element mounted upon said support so as to berotatable thereon,said solenoid being adapted to vibrate said spring and support andcausesaid element to rotate thereon.

8. A device of the class described comprising an upright support, ahorizontal arm adjustably mounted upon said support, an

element having an aperture theretiirough through which said arm looselyextends, and means for vibrating said support so as to cause saidelement to rotate on said arm.

9.-A device of the class'described comprising an upright support, ahorizontal arm adjustably' mounted upon said support, an element havingan aperture therethrough through which said arin loosely extends, andelectro-magnetio means for vibrating said support so as to cause saidelement to rotate upon said arm.

101 A device of the class described comprising an angular spring havingan upright portion and a substantially horizontal portion, an uprightsupport mounted 011 the horizontal portion, an arm carried by the devicecomprising a extends, and means for vibrating the lio'i'ki zontalportionof the spring so as to vibrate the support and cause the elementtorotate upon said" arm. 1

'11. A levice of the class described comprising an angular spring havingan upright portion and a substantially horizontal portion, an uprightsupport mounted on the horizontal portion, an arm carried by thesupport, an element having an aperture therethrough through which'thearm loosely extends, and a solenoid disposed adjacent the horizontalportion of the spring, said solenoid being adapted when energized tovibrate the spring and support and cause said elementto rotate on saidarm.

12. A device of the class described coinprising a U-shaped spring, asolenoid arranged between the tree ends of the spring, a support mountedupon one of the free ends of the spring, an arm carried thereby, and anelement having an aperture therethrough through which the arm looselyextends, said solenoid being adapted to vibrate said spring and supportwhen energized to cause said element to rotate on said arm.

13. A device of the class described comprising a U-shaped spring, asolenoid arranged between the free ends of the spring, a support mountedupon one of the free ends of the spring, an arm carried thereby, anelement having an aperture therethrough through which the arm looselyextends, said solenoid being adapted to vibrate said spring and supportwhen energized to cause said element to rotate on said arm, a resilientpart bearing upon that arm of the spring on which the support ismounted, and means for varying the pressure at which the re- 'silientpart bears on the spring so as to vary the speed of rotation of saidelement.

14. A device of the class described com prising a U-shaped spring, asolenoid arranged between the free ends of the spring, a support mountedupon one of the free ends of the spring, an arm adjustably mounted uponsaid support, an element having an aperture therethrough through whichthe arm loosely extends, said solenoid being adapted to vibrate saidspring and support when energized to cause said element to 1'0- tate onsaid arm.

15. A device or the class described comprising a U-shaped spring, asolenoid arranged between the free ends of the spring, a support mountedupon oneof the free ends of the spring, a plurality of arms carriedthereby, and a plurality of elements each having an aperturetherethrough throu h which the arms loosel extend said 16. A device ofthe class described 0on1- prising a solenoid, means providing anarmatuie adapted to be actuated by the solenoid, a support mounted uponthe arma- 5 mm, an arm carried by said support, and an element having anaperture therethrough through which the arm loosely extends, saidelement being adapted to rotate upon said arm when said support andarmature are vibrated. 10

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PETER J. KURTEN.

